Chapter 36: I Suspect You’re My Mother
In the end, Chi Wang compromised and ate sugar-roasted chestnuts.
However, he still bought a pack of instant noodles, planning to have it as a late-night snack.
At noon, Chi Wang received a call from his tutoring employer, asking him to resume teaching. Chi Wang didn’t refuse; he had too much free time in the evenings. He didn’t need to walk Xiaomi, video editing wasn’t challenging, his online workload wasn’t heavy, and he was feeling utterly bored.
He could knit the scarf at school—during class, at noon, and in the evenings—so it wouldn’t take up too much of his nighttime. Chi Wang didn’t let Xie know, wanting to give him a little surprise.
He told Xie about resuming his tutoring job, and Xie didn’t say much.
After a while, Xie asked, “Do you know how to drive?”
Chi Wang replied, “No, I haven’t learned yet. But I plan to before my senior year. Getting a driver’s license as a university student is cheaper; once you’re out in society, the cost doubles.”
Xie lowered his head slightly to look at his face.
When Chi Wang talked about learning something, his eyes were always bright.
Xie said, “I have a driver. I’ll have him take you to your tutoring job. He drives steadily, so you won’t get carsick.”
Hearing this, Chi Wang was tempted and said happily, “Sure.”
Then, somewhat cautiously, he asked, “Is it overtime for him? Would it be inconvenient?”
Xie replied, “No, he’s… not that busy.”
Chi Wang smiled and said, “As long as it’s not overtime.”
Making someone work overtime brings bad karma!
Chi Wang didn’t refuse Xie’s kindness. After becoming pregnant, every time he took a car, he would get carsick and nauseous, which made his abdomen uncomfortable. It was better not to push himself to take the bus.
They agreed that his work would start next week. After resting for two days over the weekend, he’d be back on the job. Chi Wang was quite nostalgic.
He missed the days when he worked four jobs a day; it was so fulfilling.
Chi Wang had been trying hard not to let himself be idle, but the inability to exercise and various dietary restrictions made him feel a bit irritable deep inside.
Now, being able to resume tutoring alleviated that frustration.
Feeling better, his thoughts became clearer.
In the evening, Chi Wang’s phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Xiao Fu.
Xiao Fu had called him, and looking at the chat history, he had sent over a dozen messages. Chi Wang quickly answered, “Hello?”
As he took the call, he looked around; Xie wasn’t there, so he got up and went to his own bedroom.
He was wary of Xie; he walked silently like a ghost.
Actually, since Xie and Xiao Fu didn’t get along, he should avoid any suspicion—it wasn’t unnecessary. Society indeed revolves around relationships; one needs to be smooth and worldly. But at his age, he couldn’t help being somewhat straightforward.
Since they didn’t get along, if he got involved and was close to both Xie and Xiao Fu, how genuine could his feelings be?
It was a choice; he had to choose one person to treat sincerely. Even if he didn’t explicitly draw a line with the other, he at least needed to avoid suspicion.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Chi Wang chose to distance himself from Xiao Fu. Not to mention that Xie was the biological father of the child in his belly; living together day and night, Chi Wang genuinely felt that Xie was a good person—responsible, considerate, and attentive.
In short, being with him was very comfortable.
As for interacting with Xiao Fu, although it was okay, there was always a barrier—perhaps an insurmountable chasm.
But whatever he thought, Chi Wang wouldn’t show it. When out and about, it’s best not to offend anyone. Besides, he was quite unlucky; what if he offended someone and they came to beat him up?
He wasn’t afraid of being beaten but was wary that someone like Xiao Fu might not play fair.
Xiao Fu’s voice came through the phone, a bit hoarse and clearly displeased. “I sent you messages, and you didn’t reply? So busy? Didn’t you finish class?”
Chi Wang replied cheerfully, “I was taking an online class and just saw my phone. Do you need something?”
Xiao Fu said, “Wanted to chat with you. Come to Leyin Bar? I’ll buy you a drink.”
Chi Wang said awkwardly, “I don’t drink.”
Xiao Fu: “You’re an adult and don’t know how to drink?” He suddenly realized, “Wait, you only turned eighteen last summer? You lied to me, saying you were nineteen?”
“Uh, it’s not exactly lying. Why would I lie about that? You guessed my age, and I had to let you guess right to make you happy.” Chi Wang felt he was being quite tactful. “Besides, I am nineteen now.”
Xiao Fu was amused. “So clever, yet you don’t know how to please me a bit. If I let a little slip through my fingers, you could become rich.”
Chi Wang said, “Then why don’t you first send me 500,000 yuan so I can see your capabilities.”
Xiao Fu: “?”
Chi Wang laughed and sent a blushing emoji.
Xiao Fu said, “Then come out and have a drink with me.”
Chi Wang: “I really can’t; I’m a terrible drinker.”
Xiao Fu said impatiently, “Trying to hang out with you is harder than reaching the sky. Be honest, do you look down on me?”
“How could that be?” Chi Wang actually felt quite puzzled. Someone like Xiao Fu could have any kind of friend he wanted; why insist on befriending me?”
Thinking this, Chi Wang honestly expressed his thoughts. “It’s not about looking down or not. You’re young and successful—a brilliant person I can learn from. How could I look down on you? I’m just confused as to why you’re so persistent in making friends with me. I don’t know the reason, so I don’t feel secure and can’t be open in friendship with you.”
He spoke so frankly that Xiao Fu felt he was sincere. Taking a deep breath, his mood calmed a bit. He typed to Chi Wang, “It’s a matter of ‘eye affinity,’ you know? From the first glance, I felt close to you.”
Chi Wang understood. He had some friends like that, and also some people who, even though he hadn’t done anything, just disliked him and picked fights.
Although Chi Wang said he believed in science and materialism, he could actually sense these differences.
Moreover, there was Xie. Originally, he couldn’t sleep at all, suffering from severe insomnia, but sleeping in the same bed with Chi Wang, he could actually sleep.
Xie said it was because Chi Wang had more negative ions, naturally making people feel comfortable. Chi Wang didn’t believe it, so he went back to school and hugged Luo and Shu. They both clung to him like they had discovered a new continent, saying it was very comfortable to hold him.
This convinced Chi Wang completely. Although he was unlucky, he had a friendship buff. Isn’t this also a kind of energy conservation?
Chi Wang told Xiao Fu about this, but Xiao Fu said, “No, it’s not because of that.”
But when asked to be specific, Xiao Fu couldn’t explain.
He actually felt that Chi Wang had an attraction for him, but he couldn’t identify what this attraction was. Because of this, he always felt anxious, wanting to see Chi Wang’s face, wanting to talk to him.
But he couldn’t possibly be gay; his aversion to homosexuality was ingrained in his bones. He felt he had no desire for Chi Wang, just wanted to be close to him.
He could tell that Chi Wang had no intention of getting close to him, nor did he show the usual flattery and adulation others did.
This made Xiao Fu feel frustrated.
In his frustration, he didn’t want to pay attention to this ungrateful person, but after a few days, he reverted to sending messages to bother Chi Wang.
These days, Xiao Fu hadn’t been having a good time. He didn’t win often in his battles with Xie, but he couldn’t stop targeting him.
When he was young, at a fencing club, Xie had pierced his protective mask with a single thrust, causing him several scars. That year, his parents had an accident. Elders in the family gossiped that his scars had cursed his parents.
Could he blame himself for being incapable and getting scarred? He could only blame Xie for being ruthless, and since then, he had been at odds with him.
This time, having suffered setbacks, his proud nature didn’t want to show weakness in front of those around him, especially since they all flattered him but might mock him behind his back.
He could inexplicably tell many things to Chi Wang. Looking at Chi Wang’s bright, star-like eyes, many things didn’t seem like a big deal.
But he couldn’t get close to him.
Xiao Fu threw down his phone, took out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and felt inexplicably melancholic.
When feeling melancholic, he missed his mother. He went upstairs, entered a locked room, opened a drawer, and took out a stack of photos.
They were photos of him and his parents, but the man had been cut out, leaving only a beautiful woman with a smiling face and himself as a child.
At his age, he rarely missed his mother anymore; a man with too many weaknesses couldn’t achieve great things.
As he flipped through the photos, smoke swirling around him, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He felt that his mother and Chi Wang looked somewhat similar.
Once this idea emerged, it grew like a psychological hint, becoming more intense.
The more he looked, the more he felt they resembled each other—the curve of their smiling eyes, the revealed canine tooth when they smiled—all similar.
Xiao Fu’s fingers trembled as he held his phone and sent Chi Wang a message, asking him to send a photo.
On the other side, Chi Wang went to take a shower. Xie noticed his phone buzzing incessantly. He didn’t intend to look, but when messages pop up, the sender’s nickname and part of the message are displayed. Xie glanced down and saw it.
His face turned cold, his expression decidedly unpleasant. The sound of water from the bathroom was continuous. He was silent for a moment, then reached out toward Chi Wang’s phone.
When Chi Wang came out of the bathroom after showering, he was wearing a coral fleece pajama set. His face was flushed from the steam, giving him an indescribable vitality. As soon as he came out, he jumped onto the bed, rolled from the foot to the head, and picked up his phone from the bedside table.
Xie watched him glance at his phone and then, with a slight hint of guilt, glance at him. Seeing Xie looking at him, he smiled naturally, sat up straight, stretched out his legs to hook the quilt, and smoothly buried himself under the covers.
Xie didn’t say anything, quietly getting into bed as well. He turned off the light, leaving only a night lamp.
The sound of typing clicked in the quiet room. Chi Wang replied to Xiao Fu: [Why do you want a photo?]
Xiao Fu replied: [Send me one; I need it.]
Chi Wang: [You’re acting suspicious. Are you really straight?]
Xiao Fu: [Transferring 20,000 yuan.]
Xiao Fu: [Send me a photo.]
Chi Wang: [!?]
The more Xiao Fu acted like this, the less Chi Wang wanted to send one. He pressed for an answer: [Why do you want a photo?]
Xiao Fu was silent for a while and then replied: [Because I think you look a bit like my mother.]
Chi Wang’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be…
No way, such a coincidence?
Just as he thought this, Xiao Fu’s next message popped up: “I suspect you’re my mother.”
Chi Wang: “…”
No, you’d better not suspect that.
